


Ciò che la pioggia non dice (What rain won’t tell you, snow will do)

by Elybell



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: AU, Asexuality, Autumn, F/F, Fluff, Fluid Sexuality, Heartwarming, Idiots in Love, Philosophy, Rain, This is literally a enemies to lovers fanfic, Winter, ace Raelle, ace Scylla, atmospheric phenomena are more than just that, because representation matters, happy samhain guys!, i wanted to write smut but NOPE. Asexuality representation because yes, romantic af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:41:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27301366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elybell/pseuds/Elybell
Summary: Emotions are really hard to face, but when it rains everything makes sense. That's how Scylla feels everytime.She just wants to be alone, in peace, but obviously things don't go as we want them. Things happen when we need them.This is the fluff soft autumn/winter au everyone needs in their life
Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 17
Kudos: 42





	1. What rain won’t tell you

**Author's Note:**

> I KNOW, I have to continue She moved through the fair, and I am, don't worry. BUT, that being said, when I listened to an umbrella rain asmr i was struck with this scenario (you can listen to it too if you want a relaxing heartwarming reading). It's a fluff fluff fluff innocent autumn au.  
> I had a very specific idea for the following chapters, but the direction changed and I could do nothing about it.  
> Enjoy, and happy Samhain!

Was there anything more beautiful?

She placed her head against the wooden post against which she was leaning with her back, and took a deep breath. The silence was perfect, and at that moment nothing would spoil the peace in which she wandered, lost, in a place where time did not exist. No sensation could be comparable or similar to the one she was feeling.

There was something incredibly sublime about staying in the rain, sheltered by an umbrella, listening to the sound of drops crashing against that surface. There were no voices or sounds, the city was far away, and although she was on the side of the road, waiting at the bus stop on her way to work, there were always few cars or other transports, except public ones, and even these were rare. Her bus did only two runs: one at nine o'clock and another one returning at 6 p.m. when it was dark.

Especially at that time of the year.

Scylla kept her eyes closed while enjoying that rainy noise; she could have fallen asleep, if only she had not been up and awake for a few hours already. She sighed, knowing that she had just produced a small cloud of hot steam, now released into the cold autumn air and dispersed who knows where. Her breath would have traveled the world and would not even send her a postcard. She laughed softly, moving her head slightly against the damp wood.

Her town was detached from big cities, and even small ones. Where she lived there were barely a grocery store, a pharmacy and a post office. The bus stop was practically hers, since no one else but her took public transportation within five kilometers, and Scylla was happy about this, because there was nothing more beautiful than enjoying a rainy day like that, feeling the silence broken only by the water falling from the sky.

But perhaps, that thought betrayed her, because after years of blissful loneliness, a noise of footsteps crushed on the asphalt came closer, interrupting that intimacy that had always and only been shared between Scylla and the sky.

The girl did not open her eyes, intent on not being distracted by another presence, but she was no longer alone, and although the newcomer seemed strangely silent and reserved, Scylla could hear them, right there next to her, a couple of meters away.

The bus arrived a few minutes later, and the stranger got on first. Scylla noticed that they did not have an umbrella with them, but were only wearing a raincoat.

With that remark she got on the bus, too, leaving the peaceful silence of her morning spot, and with that step she started her day.

-o-

The next morning it was still raining. It had never stopped.

The humidity rose from the fields at the side of the road, and the typical wooden houses of the places were shrouded in a light fog. Scylla walked slowly in the light rain with her hands immersed in the pockets of her jacket, still feeling cold and stiff. She should have listened to her instincts and bring gloves with her, but pride had suggested not to do so, after all it was only the beginning of October, and she was used to that climate.

Wrong. Used or not, her hands were begging her to be warmed up in some way, but the inside of the jacket she was wearing was made of a plastic material, and therefore totally useless for that need.

She held the umbrella between shoulder and neck, keeping it in precarious and unstable balance. The only positive thing was the sound of rain against it, and Scylla tried to make it enough to try to improve her mood.

The bus stop appeared in sight, shrouded in the whitish passing clouds, and next to _h_ _er_ wooden post there was already someone. Not a random someone. It was the raincoat bearer.

"Perfect" Scylla complained inwardly, making any attempt at self comfort vain.

She didn't feel like talking, and already the previous morning she had found herself annoyed by the presence of someone else besides her. The girl never had company for years, was it possible that in a single day someone had decided to ruin her own silent and peaceful routine that way? Apparently, yes.

She leaned against the wooden pole, turning towards the street and closed her eyes, refusing to be influenced by that unpleasant company that did nothing but make her uncomfortable. For a single moment she felt the look of the other person on herself, but it fastly vanished. Both of them did not open their mouths and remained there, motionless, waiting for the bus.

Scylla, after the initial discomfort, began to return to the intimacy of silence, and the rain did its work, lulling her with the sound of thousands drops. The bus arrived, and this time the usurper of her place stepped aside, letting her get on first after making an eloquent gesture with one of their hands, inviting her to shelter from the rain.

-Oh, thank you- Scylla whispered distractedly, a little embarrassed, but did not raise her head to look into the eyes of those who had just offered her a gesture of courtesy.  
She got into the vehicle and sat down on the seats at the back, looking out the window, where the tall wooden pole would welcome her on her return.

-o-

The next day, the weather got better and the sky turned blue.

Scylla, before leaving the house, complained loudly, playing with her keys while she was closing the door. She liked the rain, and the summer had been hot and dry; her body, like the earth, needed water. She took her umbrella with her anyway, ready to cast silent spells towards the sky at every opportunity to make the clouds flow and let her enjoy the humidity of the precipitation again, but even when she arrived at the bus stop, the weather did not get worse.

Scylla sighed again, swinging on her feet and casting more than one glance to the left, in the direction from which the bus would arrive. In the direction from which the stranger had arrived two days before, ruining the atmosphere.

"Today that they cannot annoy me they’re not there? Disloyal" she thought, narrowing her gaze.

The bus arrived and she got on, going to work.

The following two days of the week were also serene, one more than the other, and Scylla felt increasingly dissatisfied. She liked the sun, she loved it, but there were times of the year when the rain was much better, and she felt like it for whole days. The sky, however, was not of the same opinion, because it did not show her even a cloud, especially on the second-last working day, when Scylla continued to complain at every opportunity while giving water to the plants of the last stall od the greenhouse, accompanied by Anacostia, the owner of the place.

-Scyl, if you keep complaining like that, the plants will feel it and die. And you'll have to pay for all of them-

Scylla stretched her back, letting out one last sigh and left the sprinkler on the floor, as they had just finished the last row. She rubbed her dirty hands on the green apron before scratching her forehead with some fingers.

-I'm sorry, Costia, it's just that we need rain. Even the plants, if they could speak, would agree. The water bill would be much less salty. It's autumn, come on! It should rain almost everyday!-

-Scylla, it's just rain, don't make a drama out of it- Anacostia laughed at her, returning to the little house where the real store was, and Scylla followed her bringing back the sprinkler.

-If you don't stop carrying that umbrella here, I swear I'll take and hide it in the middle of the fields- Anacostia started to put up the bulbs shelf and nodded her head to Scylla's umbrella hanging next to her coat.

-What do you have against my umbrella? It is a lucky charm-

-It won't rain by magic, Scylla. It is an umbrella. And you only take it when you need it-

Scylla gave her a sceptical and amused look as she was leaning with her elbows on the counter at the side of the cash desk.

-Maybe tomorrow it will rain-

Anacostia bent her head back, producing a choked, explicitly annoyed groan.

-Scylla. Tomorrow is the last working day of the week and I would like to be kissed by the sun, if you don't mind. It can rain on Sunday, if you really want to-

-But on Sunday I'll stay at home doing nothing-

Her friend and employer arched her eyebrows, impatient.

-Sounds perfect to me. At home, lazy and warm while it rains outside. What could be better than that?-

Scylla placed her chin on her open hands, looking out the windows of the store.

-I don’t know, going out for a walk while it rains? Feel the silence of the world? It rained for only two days and both times that damn stranger bothered me-

Anacostia laughed, moving from one side of the room to the other.

-Ahhh, I forgot, right. The famous evil person who interrupted your reflections by remaining silent and not giving you the slightest bother- She watched the brunette with a provocative smile.

-You make me sound like a weird psychopath-

-Well...-

-Well, what? Would I be a psychopath now?

-Maybe not psychopathic, but weird, undoubtedly yes-

Scylla struck her with her gaze, hiding the fun that the dialogues with Anacostia always made her feel.

-I'm just a rain lover, it's not that strange-

The other woman shrugged her shoulders, thus ending their exchange of views, and they both went back to work.

It was exactly 5:54 p.m. when the front door bell jingled, marking the arrival of a customer.

Scylla closed her eyes after a look on her watch, in the back of the store, and massaged her forehead, wondering how people could be so late. Anacostia always left an hour before closure because she had to run errands in the city, and left the store and the greenhouse to her. But, hardly anyone had shown up after 5 p.m. before that day, especially in October.

-I’m coming!- She put on her earth-stained apron and returned to the main space, not before she had glanced out of the large windows that overlooked the entire greenhouse. The evening darkness was thick, and some stars began to light it up. No clouds on the horizon.

She barely held back a grimace of disapproval, mostly because she was now crossing the threshold of the door that would lead her into the main space, where a client was waiting for her.

-Sorry. What can I do for you?-

One look at what the client was wearing and something snapped inside her.

-Hello, I... - The girl who was standing in front of Scylla, beyond the counter, put her hand on the wooden surface dividing them and looked at her face, without finishing the sentence.

Scylla squeezed her eyes imperceptibly, trying not to lower them back on the black raincoat that the customer was wearing. It was identical to that of the morning jammer.

Not that staring the girl in the eye made her job less difficult, since her gaze was perhaps the most intense and honest she had ever seen, her features truly handsome and everything about her absolutely stunning. She felt ambushed for a few seconds, forced by her role to maintain eye contact but wishing only to look away, and the other wasn't speaking, observing her in a strange way, which didn't help at all.

-I... - The girl cleared her throat, finally interrupting the eye contact, -I would need... A plant-

A plant. Really.

Scylla looked around, pointing out to the customer the large quantity of plants that surrounded them.

-We have many plants. Looking for something in particular?-

The girl drummed her fingers on the counter, turning her torso so that she could see the display of the various vases and flowers inside the store, and murmured to herself a _‘_ _Right, what am I looking for...?_ _’_

Scylla took a few seconds to look back at her raincoat, taking advantage of the moment. It was identical.

Yet it couldn't be her, the stranger had seemed different.

-A lily will do very well, thank you- She gave her a strange look while talking, as if she was dropping a hint expecting it to be caught.

A lily? Did she enter the shop during the closing for a single lily?

Scylla didn't say a word, going to take the flower from the exposed group inside a vase and gave it to the client, who seemed to have recovered during her absence.

-That would be one euro, thank you-

The girl placed a five euro bill on the counter and took the flower in her hands. -Keep the change. And sorry again for arriving so suddenly. Have a good evening-

Having said that she turned around and headed out at great speed, without giving Scylla the time to say anything. She opened the door, and with it the bell rang again. The girl threw a glance at the umbrella on her left when she was just about to cross the threshold.

-I heard it could rain-

And the door closed behind her back.

-o-

For the next two days, it rained.

And to Scylla's delight, no one bothered her on Saturday morning, when she went to the bus stop to wait for the arrival of the vehicle that would take her to work. She put her head, as usual, against the damp wood of the post on which the timetables of the bus were affixed -on a stained sheet of paper probably older than her- and sighed blissfully, enjoying the warmth of her woollen scarf, which covered her nose and mouth, allowing her to remember the pleasant sensation of the cozy and soft bed she had abandoned that morning.

Once again she had not opted for gloves, preferring to have her hands free and bared; if she wanted to get one out from under the umbrella the rain would have hit it and her senses would have rejoiced.

For the moment she simply sought shelter inside the pockets of the jacket, and as soon as the right hand slipped into the smooth little space, the skin came into contact with a small object that seemed a lot like a note folded over and over again. Perhaps she had forgotten her shopping list.

She pulled it out and opened it first with one hand, but since the folds were too marked, she helped herself with the other hand, holding the metal rod between the shoulder and the head.

Once opened, the paper was no bigger than the palm of one hand, and it perfumed with a different scent of the one that pervaded her home. The surface was squared and not lined, which she would never have tolerated for a notepaper.

_"If you like rain_ _that much,_ _try_

_a raincoat next time instead of an umbrella._

_Trust me, you won't regret it."_

Scylla frowned, turning the small sheet of paper, looking for a signature, a mark, a clue, anything that would help her understand who had written that message, but in addition to the few words written in fast and clear handwriting, there was nothing else.

She examined it for a few moments, then folded it, putting it back in her pocket, while its transport appeared, far away.

Scylla clicked with her tongue, lifting her weight from the pole and concentrated on the bus, which was now slowing down to let her get on.

A raincoat. Sure. She would have ended up drenched.

-o-

She didn't work on Sundays. Anacostia had insisted on giving her the day off despite the fact that flowers were more requested on weekends than on working days. Scylla remained at her disposal, however, because her life, to be honest, was not as social as that of the other 24-year-olds. But Anacostia had never called her once.

And so her Sundays were made of long readings, visits to or from relatives and old friends, movies and pajamas.

Occasionally, ice cream. But since it was raining outside and the heat of the fireplace warmed her bones, it didn't seem appropriate for her to freeze with cold food when the wood was working so hard to maintain stable her body temperature. After breakfast she was sitting near the window, continuously beaded by raindrops, knees bent in front of her and placed on her legs was an old book stolen in the golden age of her adolescence from the old municipal library. Above the written pages, the note found the previous morning, with its correct and precise handwriting, though definitely sketched.

She should have studied calligraphy, so that she could understand the personality of those who wanted to write-

Wait. Scylla read the words again, dwelling on 'raincoat'.

She smiled, biting her lips, and looked out the window again. It was that girl. She was... Almost completely certain.

-o-

On Monday morning, the rain had calmed down but it wasn’t completely gone, so Scylla took her umbrella while playing with the clink of the keys and opened the door.

She stopped rather abruptly, inhaling, and unconsciously held her breath.

Should she have tried the raincoat?

Scylla exhaled through her nose, looking out, then at the watch on her wrist. It was half an hour before the bus arrived, and she always calculated her schedule so that she had time to walk calmly to the bus stop to get off to a good start in the morning. If she had changed it she would have lost precious minutes and everything would have gotten worse, and the day would surely have fallen apart, and she would have missed the bus, and Anacostia would surely have scolded her when she would call her to warn her that she had missed the bus. Her thoughts needed to take a breath after that.

She took the umbrella and closed the door, walking quickly to the road she walked every morning.

That day, she did not fully enjoy the sound of the rain.

-o-

-It's driving me crazy, can you tell?-

After the umpteenth fallen and luckily, miraculously, not broken vase, Scylla cursed in a low voice, attracting the attention of Anacostia.

-And... what are we talking about, exactly?

The brunette placed the vase in its place on the table, where an orange tree was waiting to be transplanted.

-Of that girl, obviously-

Anacostia rolled her eyes, raising the climbing equipment magazine she was leafing through until a moment before.

-Right. The one who bothers you without opening her mouth and who happened to come in at closing time to buy a lily, leaving also a good tip-

Her expression was eloquent and very playful, but Scylla had her back to her and could not see it. Apparently, she couldn't even hear her.

-First she disturbs my morning moments of silence, then she comes here to... to buy a lily, which, of course, who ever goes into a greenhouse to buy a lily? That's what florists are for. And, not happy, she challenges me! And she rummages through my things. I don't even know her! I was about to miss the bus because of her this morning-

Anacostia looked up, surprised by her friend's behavior, completely unexpected, and also by what she had just said.

-Did you meet her this morning?-

Scylla stopped mid-air her gloved hand that was carrying a small amount of soil with a little garden trowel inside the vase, as if she was reflecting, then continued, more calmly.

-No-

-No? And how could you almost miss the bus then?-

-I told you. She challenged me. To put the raincoat instead of taking the umbrella-

The other woman then laughed, carrying a hand over her eyes, mercilessly.

-The raincoat instead of the umbrella? What is it? A kindergarten story? Scyl..-

Scylla blushed, turning to look at Anacostia, and gestured, throwing little pieces of soil everywhere around her.

-You know I like the rain! That's clearly an insult!- She pointed the trowel at her, pretending to be threatening, but then she leaned against the table, crossing her arms, looking defeated.

-The truth is that I don't even know who she is. I don't know if it's the same person from the bus stop, or if it's just a big coincidence and that girl only has a raincoat like the one I saw last week-

Her friend closed the magazine with a sympathetic smile, crossing her legs, and took a sip of her hot coffee. When she swallowed, calmly, she leaned comfortably against the chair, staring at Scylla.

-Why do you care so much? It was just a note-

The other girl looked away, lowering her gaze onto her wet shoes and hinted a smile.

-Maybe you're right -

Scylla resumed her work, determined to focus on something else, but in reality she failed. Her mind thought only of the hasty words imprinted on the crumpled paper all day long.

-o-

The next morning the sky had clouded over much more than usual, and even flashed on the horizon. A storm was approaching. Scylla covered herself better than the previous week, aware of the much lower temperature, and went to the bus stop after a quick breakfast. The rain fell violently on the asphalt and the umbrella, erasing the feelings of calm and kindness that had accompanied the previous days. Scylla simply couldn't wait to get on the bus and find shelter from all that wind that penetrated through every crevice. She pulled up her scarf, shivering, and lowered the umbrella over the head, trying her best to cover every possible part of her body. She had arrived well in advance, who knows why, and now she had to suffer the useless cold. But something, perhaps, had advised her that morning, because against the loud noise of the rain beating down on the ground, Scylla heard the heavy sound of boots walking in her direction.

Scylla instinctively raised her umbrella so that she could see who it was, and she had to admit she was grateful to see the usual black raincoat approaching. Even though the hood was up, she recognized the girl's blonde and wet locks and the sharp features of the face even before the other one could notice her gaze. When this happened, the newcomer stopped in a jiffy, parting her lips, but Scylla preceded her, raising a hand in a shy greeting.

-Hey-

-Hi..-

They stood there staring at each other, a bit like what happened inside the store a few days before, only then they were both dry and warm, while in that moment they were prey to an anomalous autumn downpour. Scylla noticed the girl's clothes getting soaked more and more and could not hold back a victorious smile, thinking that she had done well to bring her umbrella. But then she felt a little guilty, since the rain was really freezing and penetrating. It was probably not a pleasant feeling.

She approached the girl without thinking, covering her with the umbrella.

-Let me help. There’s enough space for both of us under my-

She smiled at the girl, finding her incredibly close, all of a sudden, and her perfume took her by surprise for a few breaths. The other moved her weight from one foot to the other, rubbing her hands in search of warmth, and smiled back with a warm and charming smile.

-Thank you, it was not a great idea not to bring it-

Scylla moistened her lips, then biting the lower one while holding back a slight laugh.

-Yeah, not a good idea-

They both knew, didn't they? It wasn't just a feeling she had. The girl knew, that she knew. It was she who wrote the note, and it was she who had disturbed her mornings. And more important than anything else was the fact that she was not an unpleasant person at all, but one of the -if not _the_ _-_ most attractive people Scylla had ever laid eyes on.

The girl lowered her hood and uncovered her blonde and slightly waved hair, made such more by humidity than by a natural trait, tied finely on the right side in thin braids attached to the scalp.

Scylla looked her in the eyes after taking a long time to look at that elaborate hairstyle, and had to take a step back, because they were really too close.

The other bent her lips slightly upward, noticing her embarrassment, and blew warm air over her cupped hands in front of her mouth. She had mercy, because she didn’t comment on the intimacy of their position.

-You didn't listen to my suggestion, I see-

She knew it! She knew it was her.

Scylla hardly blinked an eye.

-True. I didn’t-

-Don't you like adventures?-

The brunette looked at her out of the corner of her eye, looking for a quick answer. Damn it.

That girl was charming. And she knew what to say, how to say it, when, and why. Damn. She had to answer, or she would have thought she was in front of easily attracted girl. Attracted? Who ever spoke of attractivness? She was not attracted. She didn't even know that girl. She did not.

_Scylla, concentrate, you have to answer_ _._ _R_ _emember? When you're embarrassed_ _hit back with sass_ _and you'll be fine._

She turned with one eyebrow raised towards the blonde, who was studying her, waiting for a response.

-Do you?-

Perfect. Perfect, Scylla. Bravo. Excellent answer.

The other girl narrowed her eyes, making them join the smile of her lips, and bent her head just a little to the side. She looked satisfied with that answer.

-I am Raelle-

-Scylla-

Scylla accepted the hand that was offered to her and shook it with confidence. But that confidence faltered immediately, struck by a deep and destabilizing feeling.

Raelle's hand was warm. Warm and safe, familiar.

Tight in hers, the palms matched, and for a single, fleeting second, Scylla felt in the antechamber of her brain the immense desire to be kissed by that girl.

Raelle sustained her blue gaze, famous for its intensity and depth of color, and without letting go of her hand, she spoke again.

-Scylla?-

Scylla stood motionless staring at those eyes that could make the world tremble, and answered with much less breath than she intended. -Yes?-

-The bus is here-

The brunette nodded but did not move, and she didn’t let go of her hand. Raelle exhaled a laugh, walking that step that Scylla had placed between them, and after the longest four seconds of Scylla’s life, she talked with an even lower voice.

-Scylla-

This time, it was not the world that trembled, but Scylla's legs, who found herself, without really expecting it -again-, too close to that girl.

-Are we going?-

It was a simple question, but heard from Scylla's ears was the sound of the waves of the sea at sunset or the warm chocolate covering a ripest of strawberries or one's favorite book read on a winter free day. Raelle was looking at her with an amused air, and a small change in her expression was enough to pull Scylla out of her state of ecstasy. Where before there had been a hint of seduction came simple curiosity.

-Really, Scylla. It will leave if we don't go-

-Yes, the bus. Right-

Scylla turned around and walked sped towards the open bus door, leaving Raelle in the pouring rain. The blonde didn't even have a hood to cover her hair, which got completely wet within five seconds, the time to follow the brunette, busy closing the umbrella before climbing the steps that would take her away from that embarrassment.

-o-

Scylla closed her eyes, calling herself a complete idiot for what had just happened. She thought Raelle would sit far away after being left in the rain so suddenly but, instead, she sat across the corridor, on the seat closest to hers, and was quietly drying her hair with a small towel she had found inside her backpack.

Perhaps it was better to apologize. Or maybe it was better not to say anything and let the journey continue like this, in silence.

-Aren't you going to ask me why I bought one single lily?-

Raelle's voice was low and ironic, and when Scylla turned her head, she found Raelle's eyes already fixed on her.

Her crystal clear look made her blush. _"Why is she so_ _damn_ _beautiful?_ _”_

-Why did you buy a single lily?- With a gesture that seemed totally random, Scylla went to cover as much skin as she could with one hand, so as not to show her own redness that she knew would only increase over time.

-You work in a plant store and you don't know the meaning of the lily?-

Raelle was teasing her, but she wasn't doing it brazenly. On the contrary. Scylla felt the heat expand from her face to the rest of her body, and she crossed her legs, trying to think about something else and breathe more calmly.

Goodness, there were two possibilities. Either it had been too long since she had seen a beautiful girl, or Raelle was really her type.

She tried to remain composed and appear as calm as possible.

-Actually no, I don't-

Raelle nodded, continuing to calmly dry her blonde locks.

-Well, to be fair, the meaning that I mean is not truly the real one, but... They say it in a film-

Scylla did not know what she was talking about.

-So what does it mean?-

Raelle pretended to think about it, but in the end she dropped the subject, answering with another question.

-Why don’t you want to try the raincoat?-

The bus stopped, it was time to get off. Scylla got up from her seat, taking everything she had brought with her, and looked one last time at the blonde, who looked at her quietly with a smug expression on her face.

-If I had tried it, we would both be wet to the tip of our feet now- Her mind laughed at her choice of words, because in reality, _she was wet_ , just not in a weatherly way _._

Scylla walked towards the exit without being able to avoid turning around and then seeing the smile on Raelle's face.

-You don't know what you're missing, Scylla- The girl left on board marked every letter of her name, and Scylla, coming down the steps of the bus, gave her one last look, feeling her legs a little less stable than normal.

She thought about that voice until she closed her eyes in the evening, lulled by the sound of rain on the roof. Hanging from the closet, ready for the next morning, was her old white raincoat.

-o-

Scylla sighed, adjusting the flaps at the end of the sleeves of the jacket before leaving. As she had hoped, it was raining, less intensely than the day before. That was the perfect flow of rain to walk in the streets and not even get too wet.

Did she still care at this point, though? Scylla was no longer so sure. When did it become more important to try something new than to be sure of getting to work on time and in a presentable manner? Anacostia would make fun of her all day, if not all week.

She smiled, a bit agitated, closed the door behind her and stopped thinking about it, focusing on the steps she would have to take and that would have exposed her directly to the rain for at least a kilometer.

She took a deep breath.

Without an umbrella, it was not the same thing.

She always said she was free, brave, not afraid to open up to new experiences, but the rain and the umbrella she carried almost as if it was an extension of her body were proof against it. She was afraid.

Of her emotions, of her own feelings, but still loved to perceive them. And the water falling from the sky always meant exactly that, all her life. Contact with her own emotions but detachment at the same time.

An umbrella was just an umbrella, after all. For others, yes. But not for Scylla.

The umbrella was the shelter, it was the shield that allowed her to know that she was able to feel, but that separated her from that intensity, putting a safe distance between her and all that unknown world that were her feelings.

For that reason, the rain was not just rain and the umbrella was not just an umbrella. The sound of the drops on the plastic surface reassured her, told her "it's okay, your emotions are still there but you don't have to let them in".

But now, without that shield, she was forced to let them in, to be hit by them. They would have wet her face, and her clothes, and her hair, and everything would have been stronger, more intense, more frightening and uncertain.

And for what? To do not lose a challenge. Or more than a challenge, a kind invitation, made by a girl who she knew nothing except for her name, doubtful floral tastes and obvious charisma and beauty.

-Come on, Scylla. You're just about to walk into every emotion you've always run away from, what could possibly go wrong?- She worked up her courage, whispering between her teeth and clenching her fists, which were already getting cold, caressed by the autumn breeze.

She pulled up the hood and took the first step.

And then the second step.

And the third.  
And the rain fell on her, on her body covered with a heavy sweatshirt and that raincoat she possessed since she was a teenager.

Her parents had bought it for her at the beginning of high school, and it was huge; it would have fit her forever and she wouldn't have had to buy another one.

The drops of water slipped on her shoulders, her teeth chatted.

She was happy to know that she would never need to change it because it meant that she still had something of them, chosen for her.

The water drops fell on her sleeves, down to her wrists.

Her mother gave it to her on the first day of school. It was raining, and she was afraid, as always happened when she had to integrate into a new environment, which had become a habit for their family. The woman looked at her with infinite affection, and held her in a breathtaking embrace.

"My beautiful Scylla. You are brave, always remember that. I'll be on your shoulder, here, invisible, and I'm coming with you, okay?" She had put one hand on her shoulder, and with deep blue eyes behind the thick lenses she smiled at her.

Scylla put her own hand on the same shoulder, letting those images flow behind her closed eyelids, and squeezed there, barely holding back any tears of nostalgia. It was nice to have such sweet memories and still feel that love so alive in her heart.

As she walked, all those emotions invaded her, diverting her attention from the rain itself, and when she reached her wooden pole, she leaned on it with her back, sighing. She closed her eyes again, lifting her head a little, so that the rain came to touch her face, and finally... She was able to push the world outside her own conscience, enjoying only the sound of the rain on herself.

Silence.

And small, countless tambourines on her body.

Every big drop was destroyed into many small ones, and they all got caught in the folds of her jacket.

Still silence. Sweetness.

And nostalgia, and joy, like that which, growing up, one struggles to keep alive.

Her heart was happy.

Her pants were soaking slowly, but her heart was happy.

She didn't even hear Raelle approaching, and didn't see her smile spreading under the dark hood of her raincoat, the opposite color of Scylla’s.

-You listened to me- Raelle’s voice was quiet, respectful of that silence.

Scylla opened an eye for a second to make sure it was Raelle before giving an answer.

She didn’t speak but limited herself to just nod, with a relaxed expression.

-Was I right? Is it better than the umbrella?-

It was infinitely better than the umbrella, but that girl was all too sure of herself, and Scylla would not have given her that satisfaction.

-It has its positive sides- She opened her eyes, turning her head slightly towards the blonde and quickly raised her eyebrows, enjoying the blonde's well hidden sense of victory.

-One of which is getting dirty against wet wooden poles?-

It took the brunette a second too long to understand what Raelle meant, but when she realized that she was referring to her, more specifically to the pole on which moss and mushrooms grew and to her...snow-white raincoat, it was late.

-Shit!- She snapped, immediately lifting her weight from the wood and trying to look at her back over the shoulder, but it was a bit difficult to understand the extent of the damage since it was precisely on the center line of the jacket, and also because Raelle was distracting her with her low and attractive laugh that could only increase exponentially her embarrassment.

-Wait, I'll help you- Raelle's hands stopped her in her circular motion, similar to that of a dog chasing its tail, and by pulling her sleeve over her hand, she cleaned Scylla’s back with a few movements; it was nothing serious, fortunately.

-That's why I don't dress in light colors. I never think about these things- Scylla still blindfully wiped her back, just in case, and Raelle kept smiling, definitely amused. They awkwardly remained like that for a few seconds, then the blonde took her place, leaning her back against the pole, and offered a hand.

-Come on-

Scylla looked at it, then at her face, without moving. So, Raelle explained herself better.

-Every time I saw you here you were leaning against the pole. I suppose you like it, right? So... Since you can't do it and I feel a bit responsible, let me make up for it. My jacket is black, no one will notice. You can lean on me, so you won't get dirty-

Scylla swallowed, hoping not to be noticed by the blonde. Was Raelle really asking her to lean against her?

-I don't even know you- Scylla let out a little nervous laugh, only to be responded by Raelle’s adorably confused expression that, Scylla knew, would have convinced her anyway.

-What? Of course you know me. You know my name, you know what flower I like, you know that I put the note in your pocket-

It was her, then.

-... You know I don't use an umbrella and, if you really want to know something that I don't tell everyone, I make these offers only to the most beautiful girls I meet. And it doesn’t happen very often. It could also be the first time in my life as far as you know-

Oh. Raelle was good at it. If not with anyone, with Scylla, undoubtedly. The convinced expression with which she ended the sentence and the small smile that accompanied her renewed invitation, were enough.

Scylla accepted her hand, snorting, and with who knows what emotional control, she leaned her back against Raelle's torso.

She instantly felt her calm breathing, perhaps only a little faster than normal, and without thinking about it she didn’t let go of her hands, bringing them inside her raincoat pockets. That gesture was able to catch Raelle off guard, who held her breath and took a few seconds to speak in a low voice, from that position next to Scylla’s ear.

-That's not so bad...don’t you think?-

Scylla thanked the hood to hide her face, which undoubtedly had blushed when she heard the girl's voice so close, low and inviting. She tighten her grip on Raelle's hands without even realizing it, feeling them again warm and reassuring.

-It's not so bad. No..-

It wasn't something that happened to everyone, every day. Scylla felt a chance light up, born that morning, when she had chosen to take that first step. The rain couldn't speak, but if it had, Scylla was sure, it would have told her that from that day on, her life would change.

And Raelle definitely would have been the central part of that change.


	2. Snow will do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This thing is romantic af

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you remember when you had your first, real and possible and exciting crush? When you had your first kiss? Let's just say this is very like it.  
> (I know I said -when I published the first chapter- that I planned to write three chapters, but here's the thing. I wrote. It sucked. I canceled and wrote again, feeling demotivated and uninspired. It was terrible. Everything just didn't flow. And that was the moment this story yelled at me. I had to write some ace / fluid sexuality representation. There is a time for smut and this story wasn't meant to be about that. So, yeah. I'm sorry if you expected something else, I hope you'll like it anyway, and guys, let's give some credit to our ace/aro friends, who deserve the world.  
> Oh, also, christianity isn't the only religion out there, so there's no christmas in here, to let everyone imagine whatever they wish and celebrate.)  
> Enjoy guys, love y'all

> Holding her hand make me feel less alone in the world. Not like when I was running, desperate to find a door to enter and finally feel at home. The search for strong and thrilling emotions does not lead to their discovery, but to a growing desire to go further, to have more, and never be satisfied.
> 
> I look at her face, smiling in the rain, and what I see is not an incomparable emotion. It doesn't shake my heart, it doesn't make me tremble, at least not yet. Because when her eyes look at me, I do tremble and the shivers run where no one, not even me, can see.
> 
> The handle of the umbrella is hooked to her arm, she makes it swing back and forth. I feel it, I don't look, because I know how much these moments are only hers, and I don't want to tear them away just because I want to be with her.
> 
> I am not her world.
> 
> I am in her world, and if she wants it, as long as she wants me, we will be the only protagonists of our world.

Raelle was kind and charming. Most of the time. But despite her impeccable qualities she had not yet kissed her.

Scylla tortured her lips, her face repaired by the white hood of her raincoat. She turned to the left for a moment, where Raelle was making their fingers rub on purpose, without letting that movement seem voluntary. The other girl was not looking at her, but was staring straight ahead, lost in the fog of the fields ot the end of November.

-How do you feel about the fog, Scyl?-

The question came suddenly and for a moment Scylla could not connect her brain receptors, because the way Raelle's pale, cracked lips had moved, slow and supposedly soft, had enchanted her. When Raelle turned to look at her, Scylla finally looked away, lifting her gaze to her pale eyes. Impossibly bright.

Not that it helped her to concentrate.

-What?-

-The fog. You told me about the rain, but the fog? Does it feels different?- She looked back at the fields in front of her, and her eyebrows furrowed slightly, giving her a concentrated and thoughtful air. Scylla imitated her, turning towards the field across the road. Nothing could be seen beyond ten meters and everything disappeared into thin white. It was not exactly the kind of fog of the autumn evenings or excessively rainy days, depressing and frightening. It felt more like being on a secret island, or high on top of a mountain, over the clouds.

She shook her head, catching one of Raelle’s fingers with her own, stopping the oscillatory movement of her hand and making the first move. Raelle slowed down the speed of her thoughts.

-I don't know, honestly. I've never thought about it-

She glanced at Raelle, who was still paying attention to the invisible wall composed of countless small drops, one next to the other. She hummed, giving the landscape all her attention, and Scylla felt she could dare a little more, lacing her other fingers, one by one, tentatively.

The blonde pulled her scarf better up above her mouth and nose, clearing her throat and blinked out of her torpor. Scylla noticed her skin, before it was hidden from view, flushing of a redder shade.

-o-

Both of them knew, they had talked about their sexuality more as a joke than for real, to taste the ground, to see how the other would react, and it was Scylla who firstly took that risk first. When she said that she did not believe she would ever be interested in a sexual relationship with someone, Raelle looked at her intensely without saying anything, in the middle of their talk. The brunette at that point thought she had made a mistake. Not because she felt who she was was wrong, but because she could have remained silent until she was forced to say it, thus enjoying as much as possible the presence and warmth of that charming girl. Instead, Raelle now would have gone away, because it was difficult to find someone who shared that feeling, that was like her.

But Raelle had smiled, looking away from her to find the right words.

-I didn't think there were any others here, besides me-

The knot in her stomach melted in front of the warmth of Raelle's presence, and Scylla's heart skipped a beat.

-o-

From that day on they both slowed down exponentially the moments of possibility, in which they tried to poke each other, taking time, enjoying every stolen touch, every lingered look, too affectionate to be that of simple friends. It was as if they had made a silent pact.

Scylla liked to take Raelle by surprise. Raelle liked to see Scylla lose her balance at one of her gestures. A slow and playful pull of giving and taking, a perfect equilibrium where neither of them ever got too out of their balance. But that every day was always pushed a little more further than the one before.

-o-

-The truth is that I never felt a real need. And I don't know if I’ll ever feel it, you know?- Scylla walked beside the girl through the streets of the city on a particularly sunny Sunday in late autumn. The colored and festive lights were already shining in the signs, inside the stores, from side to side of the street.

Raelle nodded, getting closer.

-I know what you mean. Sometimes I did feel something, but never so loud that I wondered if I was willing to try- They exchanged a glance at the same time, understanding each other, and something new was born in both of them; a long-desired complicity.

Scylla almost stumbled in her footsteps, lost in the happiness of being at Raelle's side.

-o-

The fog turned out to be a sore point for Raelle.

-You never know what you will find. You don't know where to walk, you don't know the direction-

Scylla exhaled through her mouth, watching the cloud of condensation fade into the air in front of her with a content smile.

-Are you sure? Because you know the direction, you just don't see it at that moment-

Raelle turned to look at her with a wrinkled expression.

-If you don't see it, it’s hard to know it's still there-

-The air is there, yet we do not see it-

The blonde continued to walk towards the wooden pole that Scylla now shared with her, hunching her shoulders.

That was the day she told Scylla how she lost her mother on a foggy day, and with her, every point of reference.

-o-

Sharing parts of her days with Raelle was full of emotions. Strong and exciting emotions. The blonde was not a person who liked to live in fear or doubt, which was the reason she always tried to keep moving, and that was also the reason why Scylla invited her to her house on a Sunday afternoon, to share with her a calm and serene emotion.

Raelle didn't seem the kind of person who would lock herself in the house, but in reality, deep down, that wasn’t entirely true. Her father still lived with her, they helped each other overcome the pain of loss, still fresh in their souls, and Raelle tried to stay out of the house as much as possible, to mantain some privacy, something everyone needed.

Winter had finally arrived, the snow had been falling with insistence and uninterruptedly for a few days, exactly since the afternoon of the equinox, to Scylla's immense joy. The store was closed in those days for the winter holidays and Scylla had a lot of time to devote to herself. She would have invited Raelle during the week, but the city hospital wasn't exactly a place where people went on vacation at the same time or on the same days as other workplaces; Raelle was a surgeon, she couldn't just blow off a surgery or an emergency to be with her; but finally that Sunday she was going to visit her.

Scylla had asked her first if she was free and then, when Raelle pointed out that she didn't know where the brunette lived, Scylla looked at her maliciously, pointing to her pocket.

The other, with one hand tucked in, felt the paper note against her fingers; on it was written in beautiful handwriting the address. Raelle had laughed, looking back at her.

-Do you use my methods now?-

-They are not your methods, they belong to those who invented them before you, you just stole them-

_Like you stole my heart._

-o-

Scylla adjusted the sweater in front of the mirror, removing some dark hair from the wefts of the wool, then she slipped nervous fingers between her dark locks, feeling the pit of her stomach close slowly to every thought of the girl who had entered her life in the last months. She glanced at the wall clock hanging above the fireplace. It was five minutes to three o'clock.

With a further look towards the window, Scylla thought it best to put some newspapers on the ground next to the entrance to leave Raelle's shoes to dry, so she took some from the small shelf above the stacked wood and carried them to the door, located to the left of the room. Once placed the papers she realized she left uncovered the mat in front of the entrance, unprotected from the snow. She opened the thick wooden door with two turns of the key, took a step and stopped, surprised. She could not control the mat because in front of her there was Raelle, motionless, rubbing her hands together, red as she had never seen them.

-Raelle?-

-Scyl! He-hey, hello-

With a critical look, the brunette observed how the snow was accumulating on her hat, and how her cheeks were colored a deep red. Behind her, the snow was furrowed with the footprints of her boots, but they were not fresh and deep footprints: a layer of white snowflakes had already covered the bottom.

Scylla pulled the door close behind her, not wanting to let the cold air in and fixed her gaze on the blonde.

-I didn't hear you coming. How long have you been here?-

Raelle gritted her teeth smiling, but the cold got the better of that expression, showing Scylla the truth behind her words.

-Not so much. It's just, I'm... I arrived and realized I was early. I didn't want to bother you ahead of time-

Scylla wasted no time giving an answer. She opened the door and pulled her in, impatient and a little amused.

-Disturb me ahead of time? I've been waiting for you all day, I've been doing nothing for an hour- She said with a laugh, helping the girl to take off her coat, and then passing her a pair of slippers she had prepared there.

Raelle, undoing her boots, smiled at the floor.

-One hour, really?-

Scylla stammered something, hanging her coat next to hers, and it took longer than usual to study a valid answer. But what good answer? Scylla couldn't wait for that day to come, tired of pushing it. She just wanted to make some progress with Raelle, and she was sure that afternoon would be filled with opportunities to do so. The truth was the best choice. -Yes, I was happy to see you-

Raelle got to her feet, straightening her back under watchful deep blue eyes, and slipped her cold hands into the pockets of her dark trousers. How could she be attractive like that?

-I'm happy to see you too- The blonde smiled at her, showing her dimples under reddened cheeks, and heck, Scylla would have messed up her plans to be able to kiss her right now.

-Aren't you enjoying the snow under your umbrella today?- Raelle joked, swinging on her heels and observing what she could of the cozy house she was in.

-No, it's too cold for me- Scylla responded with a light chuckle, -Besides, it's not like rain. Speaking of cold, let’s go to the fire to warm you-

Probably no one apart from Raelle would have had the courage to wear with that temperature the black, low-cut shirt with which she was sending the brunette's mind at a hundred miles an hour; pronounced and half-covered collarbones were definitely one of her weaknesses in terms of aesthetics. So much so that several times she found herself observing them, enraptured, and Raelle, if she realized it, said nothing. She just smirked.

They sat for a while on the warm carpet on the ground, placed in front of the hearth, mostly to give the doctor's cold body time to warm up, and Scylla's to calm the nervousness. Raelle observed as much as she could of the small wooden house, warm and extremely welcoming, free of useless or superficial furnishings, full of attention for nice and important details.

The chocolate had already been prepared on the little coffee table, hot and steaming, and Raelle welcomed with glee the mug between her hands, sighing ecstatically as the heat expanded to her wrists, thus warming her from within, while her face stopped being red from the cold and started being so because of the fire and Scylla's proximity.

-So, snow is not your thing?- She joked after the first sip, leaning her back against the soft sofa in front of the wall. Scylla embraced her knees with an arm, smiling at her tone, and serenely studied the warm and dark surface of her own chocolate; it was beginning to thicken on the top.

-I said it's cold, not that it's not my thing. In the end it's frozen rain falling very, very slowly-

-It gives you time to see each flake and dodge it?- The blonde raised an eyebrow, hiding her smiling lips behind the colored ceramic and leaving visible only the strip of her gaze, incredibly penetrating and fixed on the ocean blue one of Scylla. The brunette did not let embarrassment force her to lower her eyes, she kept eye contact, taking up her new challenge, and narrowed her gaze with a sly smile.

They both knew that snow wasn't what they were really talking about, but what it meant: emotions. And that was just a nice provocation. Scylla told Raelle about her relationship with rain, the surgeon knew how far she could push the challenge, and those conversations weren't new between them. However, none had ever happened in the silence of a room, in front of the crackling fire and wrapped in the warmth of a closed, safe and pleasant place like Scylla's home.

-It's impossible to dodge them, Rae. Besides, snow is simpler, more gentle. It gives you time to understand-

-Understand? Emotions?- Raelle looked at her with curiosity. It was visible by her expression she didn’t agree.

Scylla inhaled to give air to her answer, but stopped halfway, pondering that question. To be a doctor, Raelle was not exactly a rational or cynical person, she did not base her beliefs on a little ink written on a blank page, and that was proof of that.

-Don't you think it's actually impossible to fully understand them? We think of doing it, of extrapolating their meaning with words, but the reality is that we can only live through them. Only by experiencing them you understand, not through study, or with one’s mind- The blonde continued.

-But with studying you can help other people- Scylla pursed her lips, misinterpreting not the words, but the intentions of the other girl.

-Of course- Raelle looked briefly at her, abandoning the humorous note in her voice, and lowering it further. -But do you believe it is possible to explain an emotion only with words? When you think you understood one and then you experience it, most of the times that experience twist the whole theory you were so proud of- She stared into the blue eyes of the brunette, serious but not heavy and Scylla felt pierced by the deadliest arrow ever shot by the Gods.

She looked away, then, feeling her face flush, taken as she was by her own thoughts and feelings, further proof of the truthfulness of what Raelle had just said.

-A little too deep to be a surgeon-

-And you, too, for a flower woman-

-Florist, did you mean?- Scylla corrected her playfully.

-No, I meant flower woman- Raelle’s features lost every bit of seriousness when she squinted her eyes with the cutest of smiles.

-You care for them, you understand them. Plants are living beings as we are. With their language, their needs...-

Scylla already knew, but hearing it from Raelle made the whole thing much, much more attractive. And in her eyes, the girl was only earning more points every second. She stared at her lips moving, noticing them still chapped, and focused her attention on the movement in which the tip of her tongue wetted the corner of the lower lip between one word and another, and then how her teeth passed several times over a little portion of dry skin, where the lip was fuller in the center, reddening it once they were able to cut it. Fortunately it didn't bleed.

-Scyl?-

-Yes?- She literally shook herself from that vision, returning to look Raelle in the face with slightly unfocused eyes.

Her whole figure radiated warmth and confidence, her black long-sleeved shirt and those damned collarbones half exposed, her hair unkempt on one side, braided neatly on the other, and her thin hands, the knuckle bones visible under her skin, and every nervous joint. Raelle was a marvel of detail to the eye.

-Do you agree?- Said the blonde, settling herself cross-legged, narrowing her eyes. A hint of a smile on her lips.

-Yes, .. yes, absolutely- Scylla tried her best to look attentive, probably failing.

-Really? Do you think multinationals help local shops?-

-What? No. No, sorry, I didn't understand. Absolutely not- Could she appear more idiot than that? With Raelle you could not afford a moment of distraction that she would have noticed and used it to her advantage.

But the blonde smiled broadly, once again showing the dimples that Scylla was beginning to develop a serious crush on, and placed the empty cup on the ground beside her legs. -I'm just messing with you, I never said that-

-Oh..- Scylla laughed embarrassedly, thinking about what Raelle would think now. She probably noticed her staring and was definitely having a lot of fun letting her know that without saying it outright. When she came out of that drawer of thoughts she found Raelle's gaze on her, particularly attentive and sweet, but the blonde immediately averted her eyes, caught in the act.

They talked like this for some time, always moving a little closer, but without showing it too much. However, both of them noticed nothing but that, waiting for a move to make their own, back and forth, like a game of love chess.

Even if they hadn't even kissed yet.

The afternoon flew, coloring the sky behind the clouds, but the clouds remained white above the earth, snow kept falling and nothing changed in the living room warmed by the fire. When the light outside the window really began to drop significantly every minute, Raelle got up to rekindle the fire with new wood and Scylla stood up, trying to get her to sit down, but Raelle persisted.

-Please, it’s the least I can do-

Scylla couldn't truly complain, because from that position she could watch the girl work. She didn't even feel guilty for looking at her again, calmly and with no chance of being caught this time. The muscles of the arms, the hair covering the face and the delicate but definite bones, everywhere. If she had been good at drawing, she would have instantly made a portrait of the girl standing standing against the fire light.

The blonde wiped her hands by rubbing them together, watching the flames eat the crackling wood, and turned to Scylla, seeming to want to say something, perhaps to inform her that it was time for her to leave.

The brunette stood up, thinking it was that, preparing to unwittingly say her goodbye, and her expression suddenly saddened. However, the blonde smiled at her awkwardly, reaching for one of her hands, and taking it.

She touched her palm with caring and firm fingertips, moving them gradually towards the center, waiting for her to move away or to accept that contact. Scylla lowered her eyes for a second, looking at the hand that was asking for her permission, and she accepted that request with emotion and a strange sensation of bubbles and heat in her chest. She looked up, out of breath. Was that the moment?

-I'm having a nice time, Scyl. Thanks for inviting me-

The brunette's legs threatened not to keep her standing right now, and her ears begged her to say something, anything to hear Raelle's hoarse voice again responding her.

-I'm, I’m glad you’re happy-

-Just a little bit of fun missing- Unfortunately the blonde raised her voice, returning bright and energetic, which Scylla's vitality did not mind, but her romanticism did. However, the joy of still being there with Raelle was stronger, and that the time to say goodbye had not come yet. The plans Scylla prepared for the day soon had been forgotten in a corner and behind the thousand words they had exchanged in the previous hours. Raelle took Scylla's other hand, accompanying her to the door and taking the jacket from the coat hanger.

-Let's go out-

The brunette threw a glance out the window, managing to see the snow that was still falling abundant from the sky.

-Now?- She tortured her hands, doubtful, looking at the other girl.

-Why? You are scared?- Raelle finished tying her boots and stood up, challenging her with a look that would probably have convinced anyone. Then she opened the door blindly, walking backwards, and raised an eyebrow.

-I go only if you come with me-

That was trust. It was respect. It was challenging her, knowing that if she didn't want to, just one word would be enough, and the game would end there. That felt like a spark of something too scary to be yet thought.

Scylla took her jacket and quickly put it on, under Raelle's satisfied expression.

Cold was not the right word.

Freezing was better but still not quite enough.

Despite the scarf, boots, hat and jacket, the cold air still found its way through invisible crevices, reaching any exposed skin, but Scylla didn't feel shivering like all the other times. She felt warmed by an emotion no external factor could rip away. Next to the wooden fence, on the right, she noticed Raelle's car parked and slowly submerged by snow, that mean girl didn’t have to compromise her staying for a bus schedule; on the left, the woods continued for kilometers in the direction of the mountains, while in front there was the road that led to the town. You could guess the direction in which the inhabited center was located from the aura emanating from the lights of the houses and street lamps beyond another small grove of pine trees. Everything around them was dark except for the glowing white snow. The small external lamp placed next to the door was enough to give them the necessary light to see where they put their feet, and that source of illumination made every falling snowflake shine, giving everything an absolutely magical air. Only Raelle's cheerful voice broke the silence, calling her.

Scylla, surprisingly, did not perceive it as a disturbance to peace, but a sound to happily join.

Snow hit her shoulder just then.

She turned in the direction from which it had come, glaring at Raelle, who already had another snowball formed in her hands.

-What did you just do?-

-I don’t know what you’re talking about-

-Oh, really? Where did the snow come from?-

-I have no idea, believe me-

She threw the one she had in her hands directly at her face, taking her by surprise, and probably wasn't aiming right there, because at Scylla's shocked expression she swore under her breath, approaching her with a fast run.

-Shit, Scyl, sorry. I didn't want to hit you... in the face- She laughed between the words, trying to wipe the snow from her cold forehead and nose, but Scylla didn't wait an extra second to bend her torso, wrap her arms around Raelle's waist and push her backwards with the help of the legs and shoulders, thus making both fall to the ground, immersed in a big snowdrift. She then straddled the blonde, blocking her arms and shaking her head above her, making all the snow accumulated on her wool cap fall on her.

-Is this how you want to play? Huh?-

They both laughed, Scylla holding Raelle to the ground and Raelle out of breath, with tears in her eyes and snow dripping down her face and neck, probably melting down her back and shoulders. Finally, after a good minute, Scylla took pity on her and stopped waving her coat. Laughters ended, giving way to the awareness of that closeness, especially of the power that was now in Scylla’s hands, placed on Raelle, holding firmly to the ground the wrists to not allow her to escape.

The clear gaze of the blonde fell on her cold lips and exquisitely waited for her decision. She was breathing fast with laughter, the shadow of exchanged smiles still on her mouth, but she was looking at Scylla differently than before. As if she expected something to happen.

Scylla, however, stood up in the grip of nervousness and indecision, being convinced by the thought of letting Raelle lying there would really freeze her, and no kiss was worth knowingly hurting the girl who she was in love with.

Raelle pursed her lips, bending only one side up when she accepted Scylla's outstretched hand which helped her get up from the ground. Once they were both up, Scylla tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, making it disappear under her cap. She didn’t know where to look.

-Maybe it's better to go back, it's getting dark, I don’t want you to catch a cold-

But Raelle stopped her, grabbing her wrist before she took too many steps away. Scylla turned, feeling the tension pull her entire body. The blonde looked at her for a few breaths and soften her grip.

-Are you sure?-

Scylla swallowed a whole “No”, maintaining eye contact and searching for some courage. Raelle, sensing her inner dilemma, made a single step, approaching her.

-You didn't want to do something, - and pointed with a brief gesture of her free hand at the hole in the snow created by their fall, -before?-

Scylla's eyes followed her movement, quickly returning to Raelle's, who watched her expectantly.

She knew. Raelle understood what she was thinking and wanted her to do it, but could she be totally sure? What if she was just imagining things?

The other girl approached her again, as she had done a thousand times, in the rain and under the sun, in the last two months. But never like that, never with that look. She took both of her hands, squeezing them for a moment, then let go of them, but continued to touch her skin with the back of her own hands, with her long fingers.

-Do you remember when you thought I was an annoying presence between you and rain?- Raelle's breath came to warm her lips, involuntarily left ajar from the moment the blonde decided to come closer to her.

Scylla nodded, smiling faintly, caught in the warmth she felt emanating from the body in front of her.

-It is okay to be scared, if you are. Snow is giving you all the time you need..- Raelle took another small step, responding to her small smile coming even closer, and Scylla didn't move back, feeling her gaze falling uncontrollably on the girl's mouth, which whispered in a faint voice.

-That's not so bad... don’t you think?-

It was the same thing Raelle told her when she allowed her to lean on her body, that distant rainy day, to keep her coat from getting dirty.

-It's not so bad. No..- Scylla whispered, looking back into her eyes.

Just two months ago she had wondered if there was anything more beautiful than the sensation of raindrops crashing against the surface of the umbrella.

Now, snow was falling on her face, so close, so close to Raelle's.

More beautiful than the warmth of the clothes that hid her from the autumn cold, protecting her.

Now, she brought a hand to her head, and keeping her gaze glued on Raelle's, whose irises were becoming a thin circle of color, she took off her cap, allowing the white crystals to fall through her hair and come at her without shields.

Raelle's eyelids flickered in a few blinks while she raised a hand and touched Scylla's chin with two fingers; there they caressed the soft skin without inviting her closer or asking to do anything. She whispered, tilting her head slightly to the side, touching her nose with hers.

-Are you sure... you didn't want to do something, before?-

Was there a better response than emotion?

Was there a better explanation than action?

Scylla eliminated the distance between their lips, kissing Raelle, who moved one leg back to keep herself from losing balance and took stability with her body before surrounding her with steady arms, accompanying Scylla’s hands around her neck.

Finally.

They could not and neither did they want to shelter from the snow, which slowly fell on them, accentuating that feeling that exploded within their hearts, that was love, and desire for warmth, and closeness, and sweetness.

What one was looking for, the other knew how to give.

Scylla took a deep breath of the scent of Raelle's skin, which smelled of ice, fire, and home, and bitter sweet. On her, the cold had erased the memory of the warmth and aroma of the chocolate, but for some reason she could feel with relish the flavor on Raelle's mouth, and had even a taste of it when the beautiful girl she was kissing passed her tongue for just a second on her lips, which were slightly parted. Scylla followed her, kissing Raelle again, bringing her impossibly close, chasing her warm mouth and, with her own, her tongue, that tasted of dark chocolate. And when they met, incredibly warm unlike the rest of their faces, Scylla sighed. A faint moan emerged from the back of her throat as she savored the sweet taste of chocolate, mixed and perfectly blended with the one Raelle naturally possessed, perfect. Suddenly, she couldn't live without it anymore. She thought of nothing, she didn't care about anything except to keep that contact alive. Raelle's hand went up to caress her neck with firm touches, continuing then behind her neck. There, her fingers slipped through her hair, sliding against her scalp, and they held dark locks whenever Scylla bit her lips after a kiss. Raelle smiled against her, and snow melted faster, falling on hot skin.

Was there anything more beautiful than rain?

If Scylla could time travel, she would have given herself a couple more answers, and those had very little to do with rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised just now that Raelle never explained what the lily means to Scylla, which is truly hilarious  
> For the young wlw out there, the lily means "I dare you to love me"

**Author's Note:**

> (literally, the title means "what rain doen't say")  
> I'm hoping everyone knows what the lily means for wlw couples.


End file.
